Mamma the Undisputed Champion © 2009
By Teresa Seals
Think about your typical day. For most mothers your child’s typical routines are penciled in to your schedule. You are automatically put into a spot you didn’t campaign for. No matter what you still find time to make extra things fit into your day. I have never been interested in football a day in my life, but my son is. The season has approached and my duty as football mom has been added to my day. I look around and see nothing but a bunch of females out on the fields getting their sons signed up for the season. Just like parent conferences, as usual besides the coaches there’s a few good men sprinkled out in the crowd s. I know my story but one has to wonder, “What is the story behind every other mother out here?”
About two summers ago I met Terri Terrell at an area Girls & Boys Club. Ms. Terrell participates in the summer football camps in my area and she happened to be a single mother of New England Patriots running back, Laurence Maroney. In casual conversation we start discussing the fact that so many women and so few men out there with their sons. She reminisced about how she made sure he got to every practice and every game as soon as she would get off work. At the end of our conversation she stated, “Hang in there! I put Laurence in everything to keep him out of trouble. No one could have ever told me and neither did I ever imagine in a million years that spending endless amounts of time at the football fields than I spent at home that my son would be playing professional football.”
The Contender
As a child I never heard my father address my mother as his “baby mama.” The first time I heard the term I was with my child’s father. I had to sit and think about that for awhile, “Is that all he think of me?” The term is often loosely used. Together we can say that baby mama has evolved to Ms. Independent.
Ripping and running after a long days work Ms. Independent has no choice but to find their throne. A lot of men have shown a vast majority of us that there is no room to slow down and complain. We are being left with the only option of doing it ourselves. So the only alternative is to address us as Ms. Boss.
There’s no woman’s anthem out there yet that can actually describe how we contend in the game of life. It’s a must that we keep our game tighter than Kobe on game night. No matter the circumstance we women come to play and we are not going down without a fight. Now they are trying to tell us that there’s nothing sexier. Who are they actually trying to convince? Yeah we maybe independent that’s only because a few men has left a few of us no choice. We can appreciate all the dedications, but there is definitely a reason why some us don’t look at you men like Captain Save’em. Make no mistake they have left us no choice to say, “I got it."
Round One
Try to tell a football mom that there are not enough hours in day. She will in return tell you, “Where there is a will there is a way.” As a woman in today’s society there are so many pressures being placed upon us. The majority of us females go beyond the call of duty when it comes to our family and our careers. There is simply no pay that can subdue. How many women are in an unelected position as the head of household and holding it down? There is too far many to mention.
Name one task that’s too big or too small for us. Women have been forced to step up to the plate and make things happen. The middle finger can go to those who think we can’t teach a boy to be a man. This may come across as complicated task, but don’t think for one second it can’t be done. It may come across harder for a woman, but no mission is impossible for us. We may not be able to “teach” a boy how to be a man, but we can show them the way.
The Champions Hands Down
If we were all created equal all our functions would be equivalent. It’s a reason why we are different. With at least one known technicality we already come out on top. We birthed them, nursed them, and schooled them through blood, sweat, tears, and fears. With troubles, trials, and tribulations we still are capable of looking beyond the obvious. What ever your story maybe at the end of the day remember all things work together for the good. Never throw your towel in keep your head up and I can put this on everything only the strong survive out here in this world. A father at some point may take on “feminine” characteristics when it comes to parental duties, but it comes naturally for a mother. There is a victory that we as women are winning everyday because of our persistence, resilience, and resistance we are birthing exceptional leaders of our society.
© 2009 by Teresa Seals
